If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Aeroflot pulls out
Aeroflot, Russian airline pulls out today, Martinair will follow suit at the end of the month and AOM French Airlines has already terminated their services to Colombo resulting in a total loss of about 1,500 seats per week, said Udaya Nanayakkara, President of the Travel Agents’ Association in Sri Lanka on Monday addressing the launch of the Tourist Board’s new logo and icon at the Mount Lavinia Hotel.

In addition, Saudi Airlines plans to deploy Boeing 777 aircraft, instead of the regular 747s, which are much bigger aircraft and Kuwait Airlines will reduce their number of flights from four to three in the near future further reducing the number of seats available for both inbound and outbound travel, he said.

"It’s an alarming situation and it’s a virtual impossibility to get a seat to Colombo", he added.

Mr. Nanayakkara said that Aeroflot, the Russian airline has been operating to Colombo for the last 40 years. It operated four flights a week to Colombo. The airline was planning to pull out due to certain restrictions imposed on it. By the time Sri Lankan authorities agreed to allow the airline to operate on the regular schedule, Aeroflot had already decided to halt its operations here in toto, he said.

"KLM Royal Dutch Airlines too signed off in similar circumstances," he added.

Mr. Nanayakkara pointed out that TAASL represented 250 travel and tour operators who handled almost 100 per cent of tourist arrivals. The first three months of this year showed very encouraging arrival figures which could have resulted in the arrival figure reaching over 400,000. "With the reductions in seat availability the industry now is not that confident about the expected figures for new tourist arrivals and our members are very disturbed over the emerging scenario," he said.

At some point in the 1980s, SQ also flew the route. it was always something like SIN-CMB-ZRH-CPH, or SIN-CMB-ZRH-BRU. I am certain they also had traffic rights between CMB and ZRH. The last flight I remember was around 1987.

Yes, South African launched the Colombo flights in 1976 and it was flying JOH-SEZ-CMB-HKG until 1980s. After Colombo terminated in 1980s, South African launched the nonstop flights on JOH-HKG. CMB and HKG were the only Asian destinations for South African until 1980s but CMB lost the market after it was started struggling due to civil war in 1983.

Yes, South African launched the Colombo flights in 1976 and it was flying JOH-SEZ-CMB-HKG until 1980s. After Colombo terminated in 1980s, South African launched the nonstop flights on JOH-HKG. CMB and HKG were the only Asian destinations for South African until 1980s but CMB lost the market after it was started struggling due to civil war in 1983.

Did you know Air Lanka was flying South Africa in 1990s?

Wow cool. I guess it was L1011 s? If so with a stopover? A340-300s would have been able to fly directly

Wow cool. I guess it was L1011 s? If so with a stopover? A340-300s would have been able to fly directly

Air Lanka begun Durban and Johannesburg flights together in June 1996 on board state of art A340. It was a triangular flights e.g. CMB-DUR-JOH-CMB. Really sad the airline had to cancel route in Apr 1997 due to some haters protest to stop people to fly on Air Lanka. Really sad until now our national airline is still struggling in the hand of some of political morons.

Its making me angry because most of Sri Lanka citizen doesn't like their own country and hate to fly on our national carrier. it's not because of only the airline service. it's because they hate their own country.

Flight Schedule is below : -

TUE - UL701 – CMB : 01:00 – DUR : 05:55

TUE – UL702 – DUR : 07:15 – JOH : 08:20

TUE - UL702 – JOH : 09:40 – CMB : 22:25

FRI – UL701 – CMB : 09:45 – DUR : 14:40

FRI – UL702 – DUR : 16:00 – JOH : 17:05

FRI – UL702 – JOH : 18:25 – CMB : 07:10+1

Hi Umedha, What do you think of Air Lanka's decision on flying to South Africa instead of Australia in 1996?

Hi Skybuck729,

Any idea how does the Air Lanka did on the South Africa route in 1996 before the protested not to fly on Air Lanka?